Poikkal Kuthirai to join Tamil Nadu’s cultural icons in the skies

Published 6 August 2026 · india

Continuing its tradition of showcasing the State’s rich heritage through giant kites, the Tamil Nadu International Kite Festival (TNIKF) will unveil a Poikkal Kuthirai themed

Continuing its tradition of showcasing the State’s rich heritage through giant kites, the Tamil Nadu International Kite Festival (TNIKF) will unveil a Poikkal Kuthirai themed kite this year. Poikkal Kuthirai (dummy horse dance) is a traditional folk dance where performers wear a lightweight, decorated dummy horse frame around their waist, creating the illusion of riding a horse while dancing. This dance is quite popular at village festivals and cultural events in Tamil Nadu. According to details shared by Tamil Nadu’s Director of Tourism, V.P. Jeyaseelan, this year there are participants from Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam.

They will present an aerial display featuring over 200 giant show kites. “The Department of Tourism envisions the TNIKF as a flagship tourism event that will further strengthen Tamil Nadu’s position on the global tourism map. The long term objective is to develop this into one of the world’s leading international kite festivals by attracting participants from more than 30 countries, filling the skies with over 1,000 kites, and introducing an International Aerobatic Kite Flying Championship,” he said. “We want to promote Tamil Nadu’s cultural icons through the kite festival. That is why we began with designs inspired by the Jallikattu bull and the Thanjavur doll, which are vibrant and visually appealing.

This year we are bringing Poikkal Kuthirai kite. Next year, we plan to introduce a kite inspired by the Nilgiri tahr, Tamil Nadu’s State animal,” said Benedict Savio, founder and curator of the Tamil Nadu International Kite Festival and Director of Global Media Box. It takes two months to make a kite. The event is being organised by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department in collaboration with Global Media Box. What began as a festival that attracted around 5,000 visitors has now grown into one that draws more than 40,000 people. To further boost footfall, entry to this year’s festival will be free for the public.

The event will be held from August 14 to 16. Through this event, the Tourism Department aims to increase international tourist arrivals, encourage domestic travel during the Independence Day holiday, extend visitor stays along Tamil Nadu’s coastline, generate economic opportunities for local businesses and communities, and establish Tamil Nadu as a preferred destination for international cultural and tourism events.